After months of debate the North Central Solid Waste Authority voted May 21 to purchase a new green waste burner.
   The Authority General Manager Peter Fuller said the current air curtain burner was likely not burning hot enough to consistently reach emissions standards and was concerned that if the burner broke during the summer, when most green-waste is generated, there could be major issues without a more efficient disposal method.
   Fuller said he still preferred using a woodchipper for handled green waste because of the lower costs of removing the waste after its processed.
   As previously reported in the Rio Grande SUN the Authority spends around $50,000 a year removing ash generated by the burner in Ohkay Owingeh.
Editor:
   I appreciated the March 25 article âAuthority Mulls Chipper Versus Burnerâ (Rio Grande SUN page A1).
   We have a great opportunity to move forward with a chipper. No air or waste pollution is created with a chipper. There is not a $50,000 annual expense for hauling off the ash. The wood chips are very useful for landscaping and gardening because they hold moisture and are attractive. They can also be used for erosion control.
   As members of the Velarde/Alcalde Firewise Community, our mission is to educate our residents about ways to keep our homes safe in the event of a wildfire. One of the most important activities is to remove shrubs, trees and weeds that are near any structures and to leave space between trees and shrubs that are farther out. This can produce a huge amount of green and brown waste. Right now the burner is unable to handle this in a timely manner. A chipper is much faster and more efficient.